No Way Out
by WordOfTheWise100
Summary: There was a part of me that was scared of the power and strength that he displayed. The simply emanated from him. Another part of me, a dark and feminine part of me, appreciated that strength. Especially when no other man could overpower me in such a way. It was rather thrilling. Like a rollercoaster. And I always loved rollercoasters.
1. Spotted

I walked side by side with my two best friends, two days after our city had gone to shit. Bane released prisoners, given them guns and reversed the social ladder. The rich and well-off were cast out onto the streets to fend for themselves, or worse and those that rarely had much to their name took over the city.  
It was different for us though, our little trio. Three women that thrived in this chaos, taking what we needed from those that could spare it and living in the shadows of Gotham City. Most men that we encountered were always surprised by how well we could survive, how well we could defend and protect ourselves. In the beginning men would cat-call out to us, try to ask us to trade our bodies for food and shelter – as most women now did. But then, after a vicious brawl with two of Bane's men, three women – one of which only thirteen years of age – coming out on top…we had gained respect out on the streets. If we showed up to a gathering around a burning drum, we were given food rather than stealing it.  
I tried not to make ourselves present for most of these gatherings however, not wanting to draw attention to ourselves like we had in the beginning. My little tribe didn't mind staying to the shadows either, coming from three of the harshest countries on the planet.  
Ano – short for Anastasia and our youngest member– originated from the most northern parts of Russia. Thirteen, quiet, deadly.  
Lyla Petzer came from war torn South Africa. Nineteen, _fast_ and at such a young age with thirty two peoples' blood on her hands.  
And _I_ came from the Australian outback, one of _the_ harshest places to live and work. I worked on a cattle station most of my life and once I had turned eighteen I joined the army and made my way to Afghanistan. I had returned home three years ago, the station had been sold off and my brother had been kind enough to find me a damn good job…in America. So I began a new life here, in Gotham City. _And_ then the city went to shit a year after I get here.  
Each of us knew what it was to have to survive in different ways. Hell, even I have had to take lives in the past two days alone. Four to be exact. We each knew what it was to fight, tooth and nail to survive, to hold onto what we had.

I sighed to myself as I came out of my reverie, Lyla scouting out ahead of us to look around corners and in alley ways. Ano kept her place between the two of us, protected from either end. She was tall for her age and strong but she was still so young, that Lyla and I tried our best to protect her from needing to defend herself.  
Lyla froze ahead of us, signalling with a raised fist to tell us to stop. I swore under my breath, Bane's men had gathered in an alley. One of them had been tailing us for the past two days and now spoke to his leader, the boss man himself. I cringed when I heard the second in command speak of a snowy haired woman, knowing immediately that they were talking of Lyla. She had almost white hair and obsidian eyes, the result of years of experimentation on her young body. A low rumble grew louder as a truck rolled by, giving us a shadow and enough time to duck into another alley. It was after that however, that I realised that Ano had lagged too far behind and had been spotlighted by a street light. Her deep auburn hair and fair skin made for no camouflage, the men had seen her. I growled to myself and stepped forward, stepping up to meet the three men and blocked them from advancing on Ano.  
I gritted my teeth and advanced on them, ready to kill for the young girl at my back. The three men froze and when one's walkie-talkie went off, my eyes snapped to him. His eyes widened in fear as he fumbled for the device. He managed to turn it off. The second in command stepped away and moved around the corner, probably off to find the boss. He called out over his shoulder "Don't let them leave!"  
I smiled in cruel satisfaction when the two men left turned to our trio "Oh don't worry, they aren't going anywhere."  
Lyla and I sighed in relief when we had rendered the last man unconscious. I checked Anastasia over for any injuries and the young girl thanked me. I brushed a stray ebony curl away from my face and stood once more. Ano's eyes slid from mine to the place over my shoulder. I light mechanical hiss sounded at my back and my shoulders sagged in defeat. I didn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out just who it was standing behind me.  
The power and strength that emanated from them lapped at my skin and made my hackles rise.


	2. Stay Or Go

I turned slowly, keeping my back straight and chin up, if there was one thing that would keep me alive it would be to show strength. I knew that he appreciated and respected it. I met the dark eyes of the masked man, Bane. We stood silently, sizing each other up. His gaze left mine, apparently satisfied I was no threat at this point in time. He observed the men at our feet and looked to me, surprise lighting his eyes for a moment before it disappeared. Five more men fanned out behind Bane, two leering at the thirteen year old Ano behind me. One blew her a kiss and winked, Ano flipped him off. I grinned at her moxy but moved to stand in front of her anyway, using my own body as a shield. Lyla moved to join me, dark eyes hard as she stared down the thugs.  
Our observer moved up next to Bane "This is the group," sleepy eyes cast over us, before locking onto Lyla, "they're strong and rather cunning."  
"Bring them." Bane's voice was softer than the one I had heard on the television and lilted strangely. The mask gave it a mechanical sound but I could have listened to it for hours. I tensed at his words, my entire body stilling, save for my light breathing that barely even moved my torso. Bane saw the stillness that had overtaken our group, the stillness of a predator about to strike its prey…or the prey about to run. He didn't seem to know which we were yet.  
If Lyla and I were taken to the underground we would endure and probably survive. Ano had much less chance of survival, still much smaller than the men before us. She could protect herself out here for sure, but against these men…she stood little chance. Bane's men began to advance, Lyla the first to move at my signal, a simple nod. She lunged, her hair a blazing comet's tail behind her. Lyla took on the smaller of Bane's men, leaving the best for me. I glared as the last two men approached me, one trying to circle around to take Ano. I growled low in my chest and moved to keep both men in my sight. The first one lunged and I was a blur of movement. I danced out the way and took hold of his head between my hands, standing behind him. I twisted viciously and a loud _crack_ told me his neck broke cleanly. The body crumpled to the ground and the last man standing made his move. He leered at me before reaching for the young girl. Ano spun out the way of his arms and cleared space for me to move into.  
In one fluid motion I had stepped up to the man and let a dagger fall from my sleeve in a movement honed over the years. I smiled with a cold, cold cruelty and drove the blade upward, under his chin. I felt some resistance from the bone in the roof of his mouth and gave the blade one last push, driving it up into his brain. As the man began to drop I pulled the blade free.  
Knowing Bane was still in our company and considering I could no longer hear Lyla, I felt my heart kick into high gear. I turned slowly and saw Bane with his hand wrapped around the back of Lyla's neck, holding her off the ground as one might a misbehaving kitten. Lyla huffed when she saw that Bane's spy had regained consciousness. I stood watching as the man pulled to his feet. Bane told him to leave and he did so reluctantly, eyeing us as he turned the corner.

Bane let his gaze fall back to the women in his grasp, making the mistake of pulling her closer to his body. I stayed tense by Ano, ready for another attack and watching for any sign of harm that may come to my friend. Lyla heard his breath hiss in her ear and seized her opportunity. She tensed and Bane had no time to react before the white-haired, black eyed woman threw her head back into his face. There was a crunch and a loud hiss of air, coming from the mask. The tubes had popped open and now let whatever aided the man mountain, out.  
I knew the mask was not just for show, judging by the way it hissed and sighed when he moved and breathed. It was clear it delivered some form of medication to him. Whether he was an addict or it kept him alive, I wasn't sure.

Bane stumbled, grasping at the mask and letting Lyla down. The woman landed on her feet and ran to my side. She gripped Ano's forearm and began to drag her from the alley, side-stepping the now falling Bane "Come on! We have to go!"  
I began to follow…but stopped. I looked down at the man at my feet. His body shook with small but violent tremors. He wasn't breathing properly, his chest hitching every time he drew breath. Ano called back to me "Come on! Come on! They'll be back!"  
I let my gaze land on his and felt my chest tighten when I saw the bright and burning pain in his eyes. I looked from him to the girls and back again, not sure why I hadn't left him there. Not sure why I wasn't trying to save myself. But there was something that told me to stay, something that spoke in such a quiet voice I had to strain to hear it. I knelt by the man in the mask, studying him. As my knees hit the blacktop, his eyes burned with curiosity. Lyla made a sound behind me, almost a scream in frustration "Damn it, let's go!"  
"We can't just leave him like this!" I didn't know why I felt sympathy for him. Perhaps because I knew of such horrible pain, but even such a man like him could not be left this way. He was still human, still capable of good and emotion, no matter what some people might say.  
"We can if we move fast enough!" Lyla's voice dripped with sarcasm, a certain trait she had earned from me. I shook my head as I gazed down at Gotham's 'saviour' "No." That was all it took for both girls to return to my side, just one word.


	3. The Sewers

I leaned over the male, looking him directly in the eye "If I help you, no harm is to come to us. No one touches us, or even looks at Ano. If I deem that any of us have been mistreated or threatened I _will_ protect my own." My tone dropped lower "Am I understood?"  
Resentment blazed in those dark eyes and he did not move. I almost smacked him one. We needed food and shelter, food now scarce on the streets and the cold seeping in to our clothes and bodies. We would most likely be safest when we were in the inner workings of Bane's group and if not…well it was a chance I was willing to take. Ano sniffling and coughing behind me only confirmed such thoughts. I shrugged and stood "Alright then, let's see how well you do when the rebels find you incapacitated." I turned and walked my girls out the alley, calling out over my shoulder, "See you around…or maybe not." I walked slowly and smiled to myself when I heard a voice rasp back in the alley "Yes." I wiped the smile from my face before turning back to him.  
I walked over and knelt in the snow once more "Glad we agree."  
Bane looked like he wanted to wrap his hands around my neck and squeeze until that life spark went out. I smiled down at him "Okay, how do I help?"  
He grunted in pain "Tubes. Back. In."  
I nodded and started my work. I replaced the last tube and air hissed _through_ the mask once more. Bane breathed deeply and his body relaxed immediately. I looked closely to make sure that each tube was indeed where it should be and noticed that one was loose in its place. Bane began to rise and I reached across to connect the tube. I jumped when his hand wrapped around my wrist, squeezing harshly. The bones ground together and I barely grimaced. I froze, fear lacing my blood. It wasn't that fact that _Bane_ had a hold of me. I just simply could not bear to be touched. I _hated_ people touching me. I could handle being in a fight, a rare hug from a friend, but I could not bear even the slightest touch from other human beings. It was something I never talked about, not with Lyla, not with Ano and especially not with anyone else. The girls knew when it was appropriate to come close and when to stay away. I decided to feign nonchalance.  
I simply glared at him "A tube is loose, I was gonna fix it but if you wanna break my wrist, then sure go for it." Bane looked down at my hand and relented his hold. I pulled my hand back and cradled it, reaching out with the other and screwing the last tube into place.  
Bane's eyes followed my every move, confused at the mercy he was shown, but he said nothing to me. He began walking away and I assumed we were supposed to follow. I jogged to catch up with him, Ano doing an awkward run-walk to keep up. Both Lyla and I were six feet and one inch in height, our heads still under Bane's chin, but we had no issue of keeping up. Ano however barely made five feet, eight inches. After a good ten minutes Bane stopped in front of a man hole in the ground. The sewers…awesome.

I was ushered to the hole first, Bane's hand on my arm. I stiffened. I continued walking but jerked my arm away, growling under my breath "Don't fucking touch me."


	4. Insight

I took hold of the woman's arm, ushering her to the man hole in the alley. The sewers were not a preferred living space but it would do. I pulled her along, black curls bouncing against her back. The leader of the trio stiffened at my touch, her body tense but she continued walking. She pulled away from my hold, a warning floating back to me on the icy wind "Don't fucking touch me."  
She had frozen in the alley too, the moment I had made contact. What had happened to this little bird?  
She lowered herself into the hole and called out "You coming or what?" I rolled my eyes and ushered the last two girls to follow. I would keep my end of the deal that had been struck. These women would find shelter with us, untouchable by those they did not trust. They could prove very useful to my cause.  
Had it not been for Barsard, I would never have known about the group. Barsard's reports intrigued me. Three young women that were thriving in the chaos of Gotham, more beautiful than those captured and stronger than most of these men. However it was Barsard's enraptured mind that intrigued me further. He seemed taken with the snow-haired woman, with black eyes. One such as him was not ensnared by a female easily, so this woman must have been something truly special.  
These women were sly and very cunning but it also coupled with a kinder nature and a strange purity that was hard to find in such a world.

**Author's Note:  
Sorry about it being so short, but it just gives you a little insight into his thoughts of the women. I will do more of this as the story goes on.**


End file.
